Indian Ocean Trade Development

  • Classical Era
    1000 BCE

    Classical Era

    The Classical Era lasted from 1000 BCE to 300 CE. The Indian Ocean trade routes connected Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa,
  • Sugar Cane
    1000 BCE

    Sugar Cane

    Sugar Cane originated in Southeast Asia and was introduced to India
  • Bananas
    1000 BCE

    Bananas

    Bananas were first grown by people on the island of New Guinea. Bananas traveled to India, and may have reached Africa by around 1000 BCE.
  • Phoenician Ships
    1000 BCE

    Phoenician Ships

    The Phoenicians were traders in the ancient world for the period between 1000 B.C.E. and 600 B.C.E. Phoenician ships were sturdy cargo ships built by Phoenician merchants. These ships were designed to transport large amounts of goods.
  • Silk
    600 BCE

    Silk

    China introduced silk in the trade system
  • Mediterranean Network
    600 BCE

    Mediterranean Network

    Mediterranean Network in the Roman Empire (600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E)
  • 600 BCE

    Trans-Saharan Network

    Trans-Saharan Network lasted from 600 to 1450 C.E. Travelers crossed the Sahara desert which increased the trade in gold, salt, ivory and slaves.
  • Gold, Salt, Ivory and Slaves
    600 BCE

    Gold, Salt, Ivory and Slaves

    The trade of gold, salt, ivory and slaves became popular when caravans began crossing the Sahara desert.
  • Achaemenid Empire
    550 BCE

    Achaemenid Empire

    Achaemenid Empire, also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire based in Western Asia (550–330 BCE)
  • Iron
    500 BCE

    Iron

    Iron was introduced to China.
  • 500 BCE

    Hanno

    Hanno was an admiral from the Phoenician city of Carthage. He sailed around the western coast of Africa. Hanno was sent to explore Africa. He established several colonies along the Moroccan coast. He also established a trading post on a small island off the coast of Mauritania.
  • Camel Saddle
    500 BCE

    Camel Saddle

    Camel saddles was an important technological advancement during this era. It was developed in Northern Arabia between 500 and 100 BCE. It was useful for people who led herds of animals.
  • Alexander the Great
    332 BCE

    Alexander the Great

    Alexander the Great founded Alexandria in 332 BCE. Alexandria was a city in Egypt that became a major trade center.
  • Nearchus
    326 BCE

    Nearchus

    Nearchus was an explorer and officer in the navy of Alexander the Great. He helped build a naval fleet to take part of the army back to Babylonia (over 15,000 men).
  • Mauryan Empire
    324 BCE

    Mauryan Empire

    Mauryan Empire compromised the majority of South Asia and extended over 1.9 million square miles (324–185 BCE)
  • Indian Ocean Trade Route
    300 BCE

    Indian Ocean Trade Route

    The Indian Ocean trade routes connected Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa. beginning at least as early as the third century BCE.
  • 271 BCE

    Ashoka

    Ashoka was one of the most famous Indian emperors. He ruled between 271-232 BCE. He converted to Buddhism and worked to spread the religion.
  • Han Dynasty
    202 BCE

    Han Dynasty

    Han Dynasty in China was the second imperial dynasty of China and is considered a golden age in Chinese history (202 BCE–220 CE)
  • Zhang Qian
    138 BCE

    Zhang Qian

    Zhang Qian was a pioneer of the 'Silk Road' trade routes. He helped introduce China to other foreign lands and cultures. In 138 BCE, he was sent by the emperor Wudi to meet Yuezhi but the gathering didn't go as planned because Zhang Qian was captured.
  • Silk Road
    130 BCE

    Silk Road

    The Silk Road was an ancient network of trade routes, established during the Han Dynasty of China (130 BCE-1453 CE)
  • Disease on the Silk Road
    130 BCE

    Disease on the Silk Road

    Researchers found infectious disease in feces from the Silk Road. They found that the feces contained eggs from the Chinese liver fluke, a parasitic worm.
  • Strabo (born)
    64 BCE

    Strabo (born)

    Strabo was a Greek traveler. He was the author of "Geography." He traveled around the world to read the scholarship of others. This helped him collect and compare sources to get the best state of knowledge about the known world.
  • Roman Empire
    33 BCE

    Roman Empire

    Roman Empire was around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, North Africa and West Asia (33 BCE–476 CE)